Father's Day
by J. D. Roxburgh
Summary: A one shot idea I had since father's day here e UK the other day. Hope you like it, something different to what I've done before. Please review.


Angie looked at the cards in despair, there were none there that she wanted. She huffed and absent mindedly began twisting her finger in her unruly curls, chewing on her lip in thought.

"Yo kiddo you done yet?" Jane stalked over to Angie and looked at her desperately; she hated shopping. Even more so she hated shopping with a pre teen miniature version of herself, a mini me of herself with Maura's shopping desires. The detective sighed heavily as her daughter made no signs of movement. "Come on already!"

Angie turned to scowl at her Ma and was met with the exact same scowl back at her. They were in deadlock both knowing the other would not back down. The younger Rizzoli threw her hands up in despair "None of them say what I want!"

Jane frowned at the selection "What do you want? They all say happy fathers day just pick one and let's go!"

Angie crossed her arms and stuck out her jaw defiantly "None of them say happy fathers day by the way I'm sixteen next month are you ever gonna bother showing your face?"

She didn't look upset, just pissed off, but Jane could hear the underlying quiver in her daughter's voice and it broke her heart. "He'll be there." She replied softly not sure who she was trying to convince.

"Sure he will." She didn't bother disguising the biting sarcasm she inherited from her mother before turning her attention back to the cards. She pondered her options quietly before turning back "Can we get the stuff for for me to make one?"

Jane sighed, if she let her make one there was no telling what she would write on it...but then again who was she to stop her? She was angry with Casey, they all were, he didn't care what she had to say, maybe it was time he heard what his daughter had to say. She nodded and smiled as her daughter bounded off to the craft section of the store; moments like that reminded Jane that she was still kid, sometimes it was hard to remember that.

Jane leaned to her left as the chosen projectile was launched at her head. It clattered harmlessly onto the floor and Angie let out an angry scream.

"I hate you!"

That was all the detective got before a loud slam of a door and then silence. She paused for a moment considering her options, safest bet was to wait it out, following her would only rile her up again. She began to pick up the objects that Angie had thrown at her with a heavy heart as she replayed the explosive argument back in her mind.

"Hey slugger whatcha doin'?" Jane peered over her daughter's shoulder to see her working on a card covered in doodles and baby photos of herself. "That looks good baby, I'm sure your Dad will love it." She kissed her not so little girl on top of her matching unruly curls and smiled fondly at her; like mother like daughter she was just a big softie at heart.

"It's not for him."

Jane stopped in her tracks on the way out of her daughter's room and span on her heels "Huh?"

"It's not for Dad."

"Ok..." The brunette frowned, it did say fathers day on it... "Oh, is it for your Papi?" It stumped Jane as she hadn't seen her Pop in a good few years now, not since Angie was born, he'd left the family when he left her Ma, she thought having a granddaughter might have changed things but apparently not.

"Nope."

Panic seized the detective "Oh my god tell me your not pregnant!?"

The fifteen year old span round in her chair and rolled her eyes in the traditional Rizzoli manner "No Ma."

Jane breathed a sigh of relief. "Then who? Uncle Frankie? Uncle Tommy?"

Angie shook her head and beamed with pride as she opened the card and showed her Ma the big photo in the middle. "Maura."

"Maur?" Jane scrunched up her face in confusion. "You're making a fathers day card for Maur?"

Angie nodded proudly before turning back to her handiwork.

Jane made her way over and sat on the edge of her bed "Baby, I don't think you understand what father's day is about." She stroked her daughter's hair and softly laughed "Maura's not your dad!"

Angie slammed down her pencil and glared at her Ma "Isn't she?!" She could feel hot teats threatening to fall and she stormed out of her room.

The detective chased her out into their living room "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You can't see anyone but yourself!" She couldn't stop the tears from flowing as she shouted at her mother.

"What?!" Jane was so confused what this was all about.

"Maura has been more of a dad to me than anyone!"

Jane pulled a face of exasperation at her sobbing daughter "How do you figure that?!"

Angie grew suddenly serious "Who taught me how to ride my bike? Who showed me how to collect bugs? Who compared scabs with me after taking me rollerblading? Who taught me how to hit a home run?"

Jane opened her mouth to contest that one but shut it immediately at the serious Rizzoli death stare her daughter gave her.

"Who recorded my first steps walking towards you? Who recorded me saying Mama? Who made me laugh for the first time? Whose name do I have as my middle name?"

"Maur..."

Angie looked at her Ma who looked shellshocked at the realisation and she did her best to stop her tears and try to get through to her. "My dad has never cared, about either of us, but Maura has always been there, not just for me but for you too! Who did you choose as your partner when you had me? Who stayed with you to help look after me when I was born?"

"Maura." Jane's voice was barely above her whisper as her young daughter lay some home truths on her.

"Maura is the best father I could ever wish for. And I finally want her to be recognised for that."

"But she's not your dad honey, and as much as you want her to she's not gonna be around forever, one day she's gonna meet someone and want her own family."

"We're her family."

Jane shook her head "No, sweetie, we're not. She won't always be there day after day."

Angie shook her head violently "Only because you keep pushing her away!"

Jane was growing tired of this conversation and she shrugged "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're my family, you two! When are you gonna wake up and realise what you two are to each other?!"

Jane let out a frustrated cry and laughed helplessly "Seriously? For years all I heard was me and Maur, conspiracy theories, bets placed on us, hell even Ma thought we were dating for a while!" Jane shook her head "Maura is my best friend. But that's it. Friend."

Angie let out an identical cry to her mother and kicked the nearby couch "How can you not see what's in front of you?! Even after all this time? Are you so far in the closet you don't even realise?!"

Jane had had quite enough. "Don't talk to me like that young lady! You know nothing about adult relationships and love!"

"Well then I know about as much as you do!" Angie was sobbing hard and it angered her to see that her Ma hadn't changed her position at all. "Maura is more of a father than anyone else in my life!"

"You are not her daughter! You are mine!"

"I wish I wasn't! I hate you!" Angie launched the nearest thing to her at her Ma and ran off to lock herself in her room in tears.

Angela stepped into her daughter's house and could feel the tension in the air, she could see the weary look on Jane's face and she smiled sympathetically. "What did you girls fight about this time?" they were too similar, Angela had always said it.

"She wants to give Maur a fathers day card!" Jane snorted a laugh out "Can you believe it?"

Angela looked at her daughter blankly "What's wrong with that?"

The detective blinked at her Ma in disbelief "You're kidding me right? Um, number one she's not her father?!"

Angela shrugged "And? She's been more of a father than that pathetic excuse for a man."

Jane sighed heavily "You're not helping."

Angela shrugged at her daughter "Maura would be thrilled."

The brunette frowned at her Ma's unhelpfulness and left her apartment, she had been called in, probably for the best as she hadn't seen or heard anything from Angie since the argument. As Jane pulled up to the crime scene she spotted Maura's car already parked and she smiled on cue, just as she always did when she saw it.

Maura was lost in thought as she hunkered over the body; the body despite being found in the water, had little signs of decomposition and yet the liver temperature indicated a death far earlier. The ME sat back on her heels possibilities racing through her mind, she never guessed of course, but it was hard to pinpoint definites at this time and she knew a detective who would not appreciate that answer. Right on cue Maura's eyeliner was interrupted by a pair of hideous boots. "Where are the shoes I bought you for your birthday?"

Jane rolled her eyes "Hello Doctor Isles. Hello detective Rizzoli. What do we have? Dead female, aged approximately late 20s, found in the water minutes ago, cause of death was...?"

Maura said nothing but looked up at the brunette with expression on her face.

Jane sighed in defeat "In my closest, they hurt like hell!"

Maura smiled triumphantly as she stood up "You need to wear them in, train your feet. Heels would make your derriere much tighter, especially in those slacks you insist on wearing."

Jane had that funny feeling in her stomach she always had whenever Maura mentioned something to do with her anatomy but she shrugged it off as always; years of practice meant she hardly noticed it any more. "Thank you Doctor Runway. Now, the body?"

Maura smiled fondly at her best friend "You know the answer Jane."

"Oh come on Maur, give me something?"

The ME squinted playfully at the detective "Shoes, dinner tomorrow night."

Jane sighed and shook her head "Uh, uh no way." Maura simply raised an eyebrow "Oh come on Maur, I don't wanna go to another fancy ass restaurant where the portions are as big as my pinky!" Maura did nothing. "Oh ok fine! You win!"

The ME beamed at Jane and handed her the ID she had found sticking out of the victim's bra and necklace found clasped in her hand. Jane immediately sprung into action and walked away chattering excitedly to her colleagues.

Jane heard one of the guys making an imitation whip sound to which she made a mental note to give him the last three weeks case notes to write up. On the drive to the victim's home however she couldn't stop the thoughts from going round in her head...did everyone but her see it?

The restaurant was packed and Jane was picking awkwardly at her tight dress that was about as comfortable as a straight jacket.

"Ma, stop fidgeting!" Angie scolded her mother and smoothed down her own tailored dress that Maura had bought her earlier that year.

Maura spotted the pair standing in the doorway, Jane looking more like an awkward teenager than Angie, and Angie looking more like her mother than ever. She took the moment to bask in their beauty, both had stunning good looks and bone structure and both had a heart of gold. Maura felt her heart swell at the sight of them and felt her emotions start to get the better of her before she took a deep breath and scolded herself. Now is not the time Maura. We've done this longer than fifteen years now, we can do it another night.

Angie spotted the ME first and beamed at her across the restaurant before tottering over on kitten heels that Jane had begged Maura not to buy for her. The detective noted with maternal hate the few male heads that turned as her daughter walked past and she made a mental note to check their registrations for any infractions after dinner. She then spotted Maura and it took her a moment to recover herself; her friend was in a silky dress in a pale teal colour that even from this distance Jane could see set off her hazel eyes. The detective was often stunned by Maura's flawless appearance but had always pushed it to one side and packed in neatly in a mental box labelled jealousy, because the truth was far too terrifying.

Angie spent most of her night watching the pair of them flirting outrageously with absolutely no clue whatsoever. It didn't embarrass her at all like when her Ma flirted with guys and it wasn't just because Maura was a woman, it was because you could just see it, clear as day; they loved each other and both of them were just too scared to face up to it. The younger Rizzoli reached into her clutch after dessert and brought out the envelope she had sworn to her Ma she had thrown out, she caught the warning look in her mother's eye but continued anyway.

Jane felt herself going a deep crimson colour as her daughter held out the envelope to Maura, she opened her mouth to object but found the words weren't there and instead froze in her seat unable to stop the actions ahead.

"What is this?"

"Go ahead and open it!" Angie's heart was hammering in her chest and she looked at Maura silently begging her not to reject her.

Jane watched as her daughter lay her heart out in front of her and in that moment the brunette realised that she was right; Casey wasn't her father, she had more guts in her little finger than he ever had. More guts than she had ever had. Angie was right, she was Maura's daughter, and Jane couldn't have been prouder of her.

Maura knew the heavy tears rolling down her face were ruining her perfectly done make up but she didn't care. She cried openly and freely, and it felt wonderful. She had only ever cried like that twice before in her lifetime; once at home after Jane showed her the engagement ring and secondly when Angie was born and she grabbed hold of Maura's finger so tightly. 'Happy Father's Day, you are the best father anyone could ever wish for and I'm so glad you are in my life. I love you like I love my Ma.' Maura could barely read the writing through her tears and she turned and gathered the teenager up in the biggest embrace she could. "I love you so much my beautiful girl. I am so very proud of you, I am so honoured I have been able to see you grow." She kissed the unruly curls and they remained still in their embrace until a noise broke them apart.

Jane held it together as long as she could but eventually she felt all her barriers snap and she rushed off to the bathroom. She barely made it inside when she collapsed to the floor, heavy sobs wracking her body as she reprimanded herself for being so blind for so long, for denying all the feelings she always knew she had.

Angie looked earnestly into Maura's eyes and nodded at her. Maura could have sworn she was older than her years, how could she understand what two grown adults had missed over the years? But looking into those young eyes Maura could see she understood everything better than she could ever wish to. "Thank you." The ME whispered before she dashed off to chase Jane.

Jane was an uncontrollable mess, she couldn't even move when she saw those shoes appear in front of her, all she could do was frantically shake her head.

Maura crouched down on the bathroom floor with the brunette and wrapped her arms around her tightly. She kissed the curls on her head just as she had done just minutes ago with her daughter and she rocked her until she relaxed. Slowly Maura peered Jane off her and held her face in her hands, looking intently into her chocolate brown eyes. "Jane Clementine Rizzoli. I am going to say something I should have said years ago. Something that has always terrified me. Something that has been true since the moment we met all that time ago. I love you. I love every inch of you. Every annoying personality trait. Every curl on your head. I love you with everything I have. You are my best friend, you are my soul mate, you are my LLBFF. And I love you." Maura took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves. "I also love your daughter like my own. She is just like you and so very different at the same time. I love every curl on her head and I would do anything for her." Tears began to roll down her face. "Jane. Even if you don't love me, I will never stop loving her. I want to be her father Jane, I want to belong to her..and you, if you'll have me."

Jane watched as Maura poured her heart out and it simultaneously hurt and healed her heart. Once the ME had stopped speaking Jane responded in the only way she could at that moment; she kissed her. It was as if all the planets aligned at that moment, like everything in the universe was finally right as their lips met. Their kiss was soft and tender and yet desperate like they had been dying without it.

"I love you. More than you'll ever know." Jane's voice sounded foreign to her, it was so weak and yet full of joy and relief. She clung onto Maura as if she might vanish and there they remained, basking in their newly confessed love.

Angie peered into the bathroom and thought her heart might implode with happiness as she spotted the pair locked in a tight embrace. She got out her phone and snapped a photo which she sent to her Nonna with a caption; "Hey Nonna, guess what? It worked! Can I come stay with you for a couple of weeks? I love them both but I don't wanna be around for the honeymoon!" She pocketed her phone and tiptoed her way over to the pair, scared she might spook them and ruin the moment. The pair opened their arms and Angie completed the circle and they pulled each other into a tight embrace. "Love you guys. You're the best parents ever."

Jane interlinked her fingers with Maura's and the squeezed each other tight. A smaller hand lay on top of theirs and squeezed again. The brunette looked up and gently kissed the soft pair of lips belonging to the love of her life. "Happy Father's Day Maur."

Maura kissed both sets of curls and smiled widely, after all this time she had the family she had always wanted, and never knew she had.

* * *

_**little one shot idea I had. Reviews would be lovely ;)**_

_**Find me on fb, twitter, tumblr, my site -J. D. Roxburgh **_

_**Sorry about any mistakes, typed in on my phone so may be a couple of auto corrects in there!**_


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